Solar shade apparatus with splicing means



April 15, 1969 c. A. ROYSTON, JR 3,438,167

SOLAR SHADE APPARATUS WITH SPLICING MEANS Filed March .2, 1967 Sheet of2 INVENTOR. F1 5 E (mam/z I. Ron-704112.

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April 15, 1969 c. A. R'OYSTON, JR

SOLAR SHADE APPARATUS WITH SPLICING MEANS Sheet Filed March 9, 1967 FIE823M Mada/um: 8M

8845} chwanly A rrazusrs United States Patent 3,438,167 SOLAR SHADEAPPARATUS WITH SPLICING MEANS Charlie A. Royston, Jr., Smyrna, Ga.,assignor to Airotec, Inc., Atlanta, Ga., a corporation of Georgia FiledMar. 9, 1967, Ser. No. 621,812 Int. Cl. Etlf /08; E0411 1/48; E04c 2/42US. Cl. 52-473 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A solar shade sectionhas at least one vertical support member with a hollow interior andmultiple slots in which a plurality of shade members are retained. Anoilset portion of the shade member, within the hollow interior of thevertical member, interlocks each shade member with the vertical support.Multiple shade sections are independently suspended from horizontalstringer members so that expansion and contraction of the verticalsupports is provided for by a sliding connection between adjacentsections which maintains the vertical alignment of the vertical supportmembers. The method of making a sun shade includes providing at leastone hollow slotted vertical member, inserting a shade member into eachslot, and locking a portion of the shade member within the hollowinterior to form a rigid interlock between the support member and theshade member.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION This invention relates to an improved solarenergy control, screen wall construction and a method of mak ing such asolar energy control screen wall; and, more particularly, relates to asun screen wall construction and method wherein the construction isadapted to shade an exterior building wall while at the same timepermitting horizontal visibility from the building wall through the sunscreen.

Others have proposed various shade screen structures for shading largewindow openings from the exterior. Many difierent patterns and designsof openings have been utilized in self-supporting masonry walls, andwood or metal constructions. Prior metal shade constructions utilizing aplurality of horizontally disposed shade members attached to a verticalsupport member have been difficult to manufacture and/or to assemble.Some have utilized an entire window size unit which is constructed fromone piece or sheet of stock. Such shades must be transported in thefinal finished size and so are bulky and hard to manipulate. Others havebeen made from smaller strips of material which are bonded permanentlytogether in a frame of the size required to fill the opening to beshaded. The bonding has been done, for example, by welding or riveting.Again such finished pieces are difiicult to transport. Still other priorart shade structures have utilized a series of shade members with holesdrilled therein. Vertical rods are passed through the holes to maintainalignment and some means is required to keep the shade members spaced.Such a construction requires either a relatively diflicult bond orspacers 'be tween each of the shade members. Such constructions arediflicult to assemble because of either the number of pieces required orthe difiiculty of bonding. Due to the above mentioned drawbacks, theprior art structures are difiicult, if not impossible, to assemble at ajob site if desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The apparatus and method of the inventionprovides a sun screen with relatively few pieces which is extremely "icesimple to assemble and therefore low cost. The sun screen structure canreadily be adapted to difierent size openings by choice of the properlength shade members before assembly and the proper number ofindependently suspended sections of shade structure. The shade structureof the invention includes one or more vertical support members eachdefining a hollow interior and a plurality of shade member receivingslots. Shade members are disposed in each of the slots and are locked inplace by an otfset portion within the hollow interior of the verticalsupport member. The sections are formed by sliding a portion of theshade member, intermediate its ends, into one of the slots in thevertical support member, then looking the portion within the hollowinterior of the support member to thereby create a rigid interlockbetween the shade member and the vertical member. In large openings, theshade apparatus is constructed of numerous independently suspendedsections vertically aligned with one another and connected by a slidablesplice which maintains the vertical alignment but allows for expansionand contraction of the vertical support members of each sectionindependently one another.

In this specification, the term hollow interior includes that of membershaving, in cross-section, either a perimeter fully enclosing a cavity ora perimeter defining an interior cavity which communicates with theoutside through an opening in the perimeter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of aportion of a sun shade section utilizing the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view, from the building interior, or a portion of aninstallation of a plurality of sections like that of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of FIGURE 2 taken alongthe line 3-3;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of FIGURE 2 taken alongthe line 4-4;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-section of a portion of FIGURE 2 taken along line55;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 5 taken along line 66; and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of sun shade utilizingthe invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A single section of the sunshade will be described with reference to FIGURES 1 through 6. A sunshade section, generally designated 10, has at least one substantiallyvertical support member defining a hollow interior, which is hereillustrated as a vertical member 11 having a substantially triangularcross-section with a longitudinal slot 12 extending the entire length ofmember 11 leaving a pair of inwardly extending flanges 13 and 14projecting from each edge 15 and 16, respectively forming vertices ofthe triangular cross-section adjacent slot 12. An edge 17 forms thevertex opposite slot 12. The section portion shown in FIGURE 1 includesthree such vertical support members 11. Rigidly interlocked with each ofthe vertical support members are a plurality of shade members, generallydesignated 20. Each shade member 20 has a longitudinal axis disposedsubstantially horizontally, a substantially planar major portion 21 anda substantially vertically disposed flange 22. Planar portion 21 may beinterlocked with vertical member 11 at any angle to the verticaldesired, preferred angles being 90, 60, and 45. In the embodiment shown,the angle is 45 as can be seen in FIGURE 3.

The mechanism of the interlocking arrangement between vcrtical member 11and shade members 20 will now be described more fully. Vertical member11 includes a plurality of shade member receiving slots 23 communicatingwith the hollow interior thereof. Slots 23 are substantially V-shaped,extending from the edge 17 toward edges and 16 at a predetermined angleto the horizon tal. Slots 23 are here shown as substantially planar, butthey may take any form which corresponds to that of the surface of theshade member to be received therein, for example, that of a circulararc. Each of shade members has a first portion 24 engaging one slot 23of vertical member 11. The manner of engagement is such that a region,generally designated 25, intermediate the ends of each shade member 20lies within the hollow interior of vertical member 11. At least some ofinterior region 25 defines a second portion of shade member 20 which isoffset from slot 23. The offset portion here shown contains asubstantially triangular part 26 which lies outside the plane of slot23. The offset portion will take different forms depending upon theshape of the vertical support member and the tool used to create theoffset. For example, when a vertical support member having a rectangularcross-section and a longitudinal slot is used, the offset portion isnormally substantially rectangular but can even be pyramidal.

Formation of an exemplary sun shade section 10 was accomplished in thefollowing manner. Vertical support members 11 and shade members 20 weremanufactured from aluminum extrusions. Vertical members 11 were slottedat a 45 angle by cutting. Before insertion, shade members 20, as shownin FIGURES 1 through 6, had major portion 21 substantially planar forits entire length so that they were easily slipped into slots 23. Eachshade member 20 was slipped into one slot 23 of each of three verticalmembers 11 until the leading edge of member 20 engaged the back edges ofslot 23. Members 11 and 20 were then retained in position while part 26was offset from the plane of slot 23 with a pliers to lock membersrigidly together.

The locking can be accomplished by bending or crimping part 26 with anyof a wide variety of bending or crimping tools such as a long nosedpliers. The locking can also be done by welding or using a spring pinfastener within the vertical member. The locking process may beautomated if it is desired to carry it out in the factory rather thanassembling the screen at the job site.

Each sun screen section 10 is prepared for mounting in the space to beshaded by attaching it to a substantially horizontally disposed supportmember, here shown as a horizontal stringer 30, with any suitablefastening means like a bolt 31 or Tinnerman nut 32. Horizontal stringeris adapted to be attached to a substantially rigid vertical structuresuch as wall 40, at each end of the area to be shaded by any convenientattaching means, generally designated 33.

For greatest versatility in adapting the basic sun screen design tovaried window sizes, the vertical members 11 are generally constructedto a standard length of approximately six feet. When large areas are tobe shaded, several sections like 10 and 10' as shown in FIGURE 2 areindependently suspended vertically over one another, aligned, andconnected with a slide connection. Such construction providessubstantial advantages. First, use of a standard length of verticalsupport members 11 reduces the inventory required of parts. Second,independent suspension of these standard length vertical support members11 allows for independent expansion and contraction of each six footvertical sun screen section 10 like 10 and 10' with temperature changesthereby simplifying the mounting. Third, independent suspension of thestandard height sections allows lighter horizontal stringers 30 to beutilized than would be required if the entire weight of the entire sunscreen were upon the horizontal stringer of the top of the structure.

The structure for maintaining vertical alignment of adjacent sections 10and 10" while allowing independent expansion and contraction includes asplicing means adapted to slidably connect adjacent sun shade sections10 and 10. The splicing means, as shown, includes a member 34, having asubstantially V-shaped cross-section, which is adapted to fit snuglywithin the upper end of the hollow interior of each vertical supportmember 11. A member 34 is disposed in the upper interior of eachvertical support member 11 with a portion of splicing member 34extending upward from the upper end of vertical member 11. The upwardlyextending portion of member 34 is adapted to slidably engage the lowerinterior of the vertical member 11 in the adjacent section 10'immediately thereabove. Member 34 is restrained from sliding downwardinto the vertical member 11 from which it extends upward by arestraining means such as a combination of Tinnerman nut 32 and theoffset part 26 of the uppermost shade member 20. As shown, Tinnerman nut32 extends substantially the entire distance across the interior ofvertical member 11 between edges 15 and 16. The lower edge of member 34rests on the upper edge of nut 32. Member 34 is slotted with a V-shapedslot 35 adapted to receive a shade member 20. Slot 35 is aligned withuppermost slot 23 in vertical member 11 so that shade member 20 slidesinto both uppermost slot 23 and slot 35. Offset part 26 of uppermostshade member 20 locks splicing member 34, vertical member 11 anduppermost shade member 20 in fixed position with respect to one another.

The shade section 10' mounted immediately above splicing member 34 ispositioned so that each member 34 slides into the lower interior ofvertical support member 11 thereby aligning the vertical members 11' ofthe vertically adjacent sections 10 and 10'. The upper section 10' ismounted so that approximately one-eighth inch of space exists betweenthe lower edge of the vertical member 11 in the upper section and theupper edge of the vertical member 11 in the lower section. This spacingprovides an expansion joint. A splicing member 34 is positioned in theupper end of each vertical member of each section except the topmost.

The lower end of each vertical support member 11' of the bottom section10 is fastened to a second horizontal support member here shown asanother horizontal stringer 36, in the same manner as the top ends areconnected to stringer 30. Stringer 36 is adapted to be rigidly attachedto the wall 40 at each end of the area to be shaded in the same manneras is stringer 30. The sun shade structure thus provided is extremelystrong, light weight esthetically appealing because of the artisticdesigns usable in vertical support members 11 without substantialadditional cost, and readily expandable to different vertical heights bychanging the number of independently suspended sections which are used.This novel sun screen is especially suited to using different colorswithin one design. For example, the vertical support members 11 andhorizontal stringer 30 can be constructed of one color material and theshade members 20 of another color. Each separate shade member 20 alsocan be of a different color if desired.

Another modification contemplated is where each splicing member 34 hasthe side walls forming the V short enough in the horizontal directionthat the edge where they meet to form the point of the V merely restsagainst the inner edge of the offset part 26 of uppermost shade member20. Member 34 is not slotted in that modification and is restrained fromsliding downward into the member 11 from which it projects upward bycontact of its lower edge with nut 32 and contact of the edge formingthe closed end of the V with the inner edge of offset part 26.

FIGURE 7 discloses a modified shade screen generally designated 110,utilizing the invention. Two vertical support members 111 aresubstantially triangular in crosssection and are substantially identicalto members 11 of FIGURES 1 through 6 in construction. Each verticalmember 111 contains a plurality of slots 123. A plurality of shademembers 120 are interlocked with each of the vertical members 111 in amanne identical to that described with reference to FIGURES 1 tbrough'6.However, shade members 120 are of a difierent shape than shade membersof FIGURES 1 through 6. Shade members 12.0 comprise a series of fiatportions 141, .142, 143 and 144, which are connected to form a wave-likedesign. Portions 141 and 143 have parallel substantially planar surfaceswhich are connected by intersecting portions 142 and 144.

Many other decorative forms have been used for the shade members in theapparatus and method of the present invention. Also, many forms aresuitable for use as the vertical support member. For example, thevertical member can be substantially circular with a longitudinal slotextending the entire length of one side, or can be substantiallyrectangular with a longitudinal slot extending the entire length of oneside. The shade member receiving slots in such constructions are in theform of a circular arc or a U, respectively. The longitudinal slot caneven be eliminated if desired so long as the interior of the verticalmember is hollow and provides access to the interior portion of theshade members for olfsetting them from the shade member receiving slotsor otherwise locking them to the vertical members.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A sun shade apparatus comprising: a plurality of sections eachseparately supported, each section including (a) at least onesubstantially vertical support member defining a hollow interior,

(b) a plurality of shade members each having a substantiallyhorizontally disposed longitudinal axis and being rigidly attached tothe vertical member in spaced relation to the other shade members sothat substantial shade is aflorded from sunlight and substantialvisibility is retained through the section from the side opposite thatexposed to the sunlight,

(c) a substantially horizontally disposed support member attached to thevertical member and attached to a substantially vertical structure :ateach end of the area to be shaded, and

(d) fastening means attaching the horizontally disposed support memberto the vertical member;

splicing means for slidably connecting adjacent sections to provide forexpansion of the vertical members while maintaining vertical alignmentthereof, the splicing means including a splicing member having a shapewhich substantially conforms to that of the interior of a verticalmember partially disposed in the upper interior of each vertical member,except that of the uppermost section, a portion of each splicing memberextending upward from the upper end of the vertical member and slidablyengaging the lower interior of the vertical member immediatelythereabove in the next higher section; and

restraining means restraining each of the splicing members from slidingdownward into the vertical member from which it extends upward.

2. A sun shade apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

each section includes a plurality of vertical members each of which issubstantially triangular in crosssection, has a longitudinal slotextending the entire length of the vertical member in one side thereof,and has a plurality of shade member receiving slotsextending from theedge of the vertical member forming the vertex of the triangle oppositethe longitudinal slot toward the edges forming the vertices adjacent thelongitudinal slot in substantially parallel planes at a predeterminedangle to the vertical;

each shade member has a plurality of first portions each disposed in oneslot of each vertical member, and a plurality of second portions eachwithin the hollow interior of one of the vertical members and offsetfrom the plane of the adjacent shade member receiving slot therebysubstantially rigidly locking the shade member in a fixed position withrespect to the vertical member; the splicing members are substantiallyV-shaped in cross-section and fit snugly within the interior of avertical member and cooperate with the restraining means to prevent thesplicing members from sliding downward; and the restraining meansincludes a portion of the fastening means constructed to extendsubstantially the entire distance across the interior of each verticalmember between the vertices adjacent the longitudinal slot andcooperating with a lower edge of the splicing member disposed in thevertical member to prevent the splicing member from sliding downward. 3.A sun shade according to claim 2 wherein: each splicing member has aV-shaped slot extending from the closed end of the splicing membertoward the open ends in a plane coinciding with that of the uppermostshade member receiving slot in the vertical member; and the shade memberdisposed in the uppermost shade member receiving slot of each verticalmember has at least part of the second portion interior of the splicingmember and oflset from the plane of the slot therein so that the shademember, vertical memher and splicing member are substantially rigidlylocked in fixed position with respect to one another. 4. In a sun shadehaving at least one substantially vertical support member and aplurality of shade members each having a longitudinal :axis disposedsubstantially horizontally, the vertical member positioned intermediatethe ends of the shade members and interlocked therewith in such a mannerthat substantial shade is afforded from sunlight while substantialvisalbility is retained through the shade from the side opposite thatexposed to the sunlight, the improvement comprising:

the vertical member defining a hollow interior and a plurality of spacedshade member receiving slots communicating therewith; each shade memberhaving a first portion disposed in one slot of the vertical member and asecond portion within the hollow interior of the vertical membercooperating with an interior surface of the vertical member tosubstantially rigidly lock the shade member in a fixed position withrespect to the vertical member; additional vertical members eachdefining a hollow interior and a plurality of spaced shade memberreceiving slots communicating therewith, the vertical members beingspaced from one another; additional first portions of each shade membereach disposed in one shade member receiving slot of each additionalvertical member and having additional second portions within the hollowinterior of each additional vertical member cooperating with an interiorsurface of the vertical member to substantially rigidly lock all of thevertical members :and shade members in a fixed position with respect toone another; wherein each vertical support member is substantiallytriangular in cross-section, has a longitudinal slot extending theentire length of the vertical member in one side thereof, and has theshade member receiving slots extending from the edge of the verticalmember forming the vertex of the triangle opposite the longitudinal slottoward the edges forming the vertices adjacent the longitudinal slot;and wherein each of the shade members has a substantially planar majorportion and a flange extending substantially vertically downward fromthe major portion;

said sun shade further including:

a substantially horizontally disposed support member attached to each ofthe vertical members and attached to a substantially rigid verticalstructure at each end of the area to be shaded;

fastening means attaching the horizontally disposed member to each ofthe vertical members;

splicing means connecting adjacent sun shade sections, the splicingmeans including a plurality of splicing members each with asubstantially V-shaped crosssection of dimension to fit snugly within aportion of the hollow interior of a vertical member, one splicing memberbeing partially disposed in the upper interior of each vertical memberextending upward from the upper end thereof and disposed in engagementwith the lower interior of the vertical member thereabove in an adjacentsection; and

restraining means restraining each of the splicing members from slidingdown-ward into the vertical member from which it extends upward.

5. In a sun shade having at least one substantially vertical supportmember and a plurality of shade members each having a longitudinal axisdisposed substantially horizontally, the vertical member positionedintermediate the ends of the shade members and interlocked therewith insuch a manner that substantial shade is afforded from sunlight whilesubstantial visibility is retained through the shade from the sideopposite that exposed to the sunlight, the improvement comprising:

the vertical member defining a hollow interior and a plurality of spacedshade member receiving slots communicating therewith;

each shade member having a first portion disposed in one slot of thevertical member and a second portion within the hollow interior of thevertical member cooperating with an interior surface of the verticalmember to substantially rigidly lock the shade member in a fixedposition with respect to the vertical member;

additional vertical members each defining a hollow interior and aplurality of spaced shade member receiving slots communicatingtherewith, the vertical members being spaced from one another;

additional first portions of each shade member each disposed in oneshade member receiving slot of each additional vertical member andhaving additional second portions within the hollow interior of eachadditional vertical member cooperating with an interior surface of thevertical member to substantially rigidly lock all of the verticalmembers and shade members in a fixed position with respect to oneanother; and

wherein each vertical support member is substantially triangular incross-section, has a longitudinal slot extending the entire length ofthe vertical member in one side thereof, and has the shade memberreceiving slots extending from the edge of the vertical member formingthe vertex of the triangle opposite the longitudinal slot toward theedges forming the vertices adjacent the longitudinal slot;

said sun shade further including:

a substantially horizontally disposed support member attached to each ofthe vertical members and attached to a substantially rigid verticalstructure at each end of the area to be shaded;

fastening means attaching the horizontally disposed member to each ofthe vertical members;

splicing means connecting adjacent sun shade sections, the splicingmeans including a plurality of splicing members each with asubstantially V-shaped cross section of dimension to fit snugly within aportion of the hollow interior of a vertical member, one splic ingmember being partially disposed in the upper interior of each verticalmember extending upward from the upper end thereof and disposed inengagement with the lower interior of the vertical member thereabove inan adjacent section; and

restraining means restraining each of the splicing members from slidingdownward into the vertical member from which it extends upward.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,752,644 7/1956 Mortrude 52-4732,960,195 11/1960 Toth 52235 X 2,967,337 1/1961 Hedrick 52-473 3,266,2108/1966 Grossman 52-235 X JOHN E. MURTAGH, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

